Changing reminder signs frequently had no effect on hand hygiene rates overall, a study published in JAMA Network Open shows.

During 2016-17, the U.S. spent an annual average total of $5.2 billion on influenza treatments, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

An experimental vaccine protected 54 percent of people with latent tuberculosis from developing the infectious disease, according to a study published Oct. 29 in The New England Journal of Medicine.  

Physicians can use data from a patient's smartphone to understand the patient's level of postoperative physical activity and what this may mean for their recovery trajectory, according to a study published in JAMA Surgery.

Healthcare workers may fail to respond to medical alarms because they have trouble hearing them — the result of a phenomenon called simultaneous masking, according to a study published in Human Factors.

The world has not taken enough action to address antimicrobial resistance in part due to limited understanding and support from the general public, according to a new report from the nonprofit research charity Wellcome Trust.

Nurses will testify before Massachusetts' Joint Committee on Public Health Oct. 29 in favor of legislation to improve patient handling practices in healthcare facilities. 

Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System has identified two potential cases of Legionnaires' disease in patients recently treated at Mount Carmel East in Columbus, a health system spokesperson confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement Oct. 27 in support of greater access to metabolic and bariatric surgery for children and adolescents with severe obesity.

New York's Department of Financial Services is investigating whether an algorithm used by UnitedHealth Group is racially biased after a study published Oct. 24 found the algorithm prioritized care for white patients over black patients, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Washington, D.C.-based St. Elizabeths Hospital resumed normal water usage Oct. 23, the same day two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit over the psychiatric hospital's handling of a 28-day water outage, according to The DC Post. 

Healthmark Industries is pleased to announce the launch of their newest game on Crazy4Clean.com, “The Instrument Bodyguard.”

Many older Americans are struggling to find a high-dose flu shot designed to offer extra protection in patients over age 65, reports The Boston Globe.

The government is ending a surveillance program that identifies potentially dangerous animal viruses that could spread to humans, reports The New York Times.

Flu activity increased slightly in the U.S. during the week ending Oct. 19, but remains low, according to the CDC's most recent FluView report.

Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System is reporting triple the cases of flu-like illness compared to the same time period last year, according to NBC affiliate WRCB.

A disproportionately high number of older patients are readmitted for the same infection treated during an initial hospital stay, according to a new study published Oct. 23 in the Journal of The American Geriatrics Society. 

Robert Chelsea became the first black person to receive a full face transplant in the U.S. after he underwent the procedure at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in July.

The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., reported a case of Legionnaires' disease at its facility to the Florida health department, local news source News4Jax reports. 

A commonly used healthcare algorithm exhibits significant racial bias and reduces the number of black patients identified for extra care by more than half, according to a study published Oct. 24 in American Association for the Advancement of Science.